19 September 2007 easyJet: Tax planes not passengers
Budget airline easyJet has called for air passenger duty to be replaced with a grading scheme for planes based on their carbon dioxide emissions and journey length.
While supporting the EU's attempts to reduce carbon emissions, the low fares airline has called for UK politicians to approach the problem in a more intelligent manner.
Noting that the UK currently taxes air travel more than any other European country, easyJet has called for a scrapping of air passenger duty.
"There is no doubt that climate change is a real and imminent danger which should be a concern for us all," commented Andy Harrison, easyJet chief executive.
He added: "However, much of the recent political debate has been characterised by gesture politics and discriminatory, often contradictory proposals and it is time for consumers to tell the politicians they won't be "green-rollered" into accepting higher air taxes for spurious green rationale."
Reuters notes that easyJet planes are a "relatively young fleet" with a better fuel efficiency than older planes.
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